Bowser the Hero
by LeaderOfTheRoyalGuard
Summary: Mario loses it and destorys Toad Town, kills his way through Bowser's castle and attacks Bowser. Bowser is resurrected and decides to fight alongside Princess Peach and Luigi as well as Toads and his own old troops to kill the madman, Mario.


**Author's note: no fucking idea why playing Paper Mario made me want to write this... was just going to be a stupid, short maybe two page story... but I liked it too much to let it go without a story. So here ya go. I really hope you like it as much as I did.**

"Who would have guessed that this is how this would end, eh Mario?" Bowser's voice boomed through the throne room of the castle as he pushed his foot harder down on the plumber's head. "Me having to storm YOUR castle to save Mushroom Kingdom from YOUR madness. HA! Looks like the tables have swung in my favor. I'll enjoy this, you lunatic."

Princess Peach slammed her eyes closed as her oldest friend and once lover's head was crushed against the cobblestone as Bowser brought his weight down on his arch-enemy. She felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes at all the memories that her and Mario had made together. Her body was soon wracked by sobs and she felt Luigi's hand on her shoulder and turned to hug him.

"It's okay princess... Bowser's saved us. Now we have to hold up our end of the deal," He told her and she looked up to him. His face was stiff and resolved and she knew he was right. She turned and looked at Bowser. His human form was somewhat more frightening than his old Koopa form. He was about six feet tall, not including his spiked red hair. He wore a green shirt, much like his old shell and his skin had a light tinge of orange to it. His muscles were still very apparent from when he was a Koopa.

"Bowser," She said, blinking out her tears. He turned to look at her. He was smiling a cruel and vicious smile that showed that he had finally got what he had sought after for years. But as he looked at her his smile became softer and gentler. He realized he needed to be a newer version of himself, not his old self. He looked down to Mario's now dead body and back to Princess Peach.

"I'm sorry for you having to witness that," he said, genuinely apologizing to the princess he had so many times kidnapped over the years. When he thought of all of that his sorrow came flooding back. "Princess Peach... I'm sorry for all that I have done to your kingdom. I—" just then he was cut off as she took his hands in hers.

"All is forgiven Bowser. You may have done a lot of bad things in the past, but not once have you attempted to slaughter my people or harm me in any way. Mario needed to die. There was no help for him. You did the right thing."

"He was my big brother, Bowser. I'll miss him more than anything in this world," Luigi said, walking beside the princess. "But I agree completely with the princess. He had turned into a monster. Something even you had never become. I may feel the pangs of guilt and sorrow that watching my family die before me can bring, but if I had to choose to fight alongside you again Bowser, I gladly would. You helped save us all."

"And for that, King Koopa, we give you back your original form." Peach's hands began to glow. The same had happened when she took his form and some of his powers away from him. He pulled his hands back as quickly as he could.

"No! I don't want to change back... I want to lead a normal life. In my time in this form, I have made friends that I fear would no longer accept me otherwise. I just want to live a normal life. I want to live in the Mushroom Kingdom. Not as an enemy but as a friend. An ally. Please Princess, don't change me back," Bowser pleaded.

"Are you sure? This is the last chance for you to change back."

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Then so be it," Her hands no longer glowed and she put them to her sides. She looked Bowser in the eyes and smiled sadly. "You're always welcome in my kingdom Bowser." And Luigi escorted the princess from the castle and safely back home.

Bowser stayed behind and did something that even surprised him. He took his nemesis' body and buried it to the side of the castle. He felt that even though they had always fought and he had resented Mario for fouling his plans time and time again, he and the plumber had become something of brothers. Once his joy of destroying Mario had faded, he was filled with only sorrow.

The last scoop of dirt filled the hold that held Mario's body and Bowser's memories of the past few days came flooding back.

It was a week or so after Mario had invaded his castle and taken the princess away from him again and he had just started planning his next attempt to capture the resistant Peach. As he planned out his attack on the maps of the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad Town and Peach's castle a series of loud bangs and shouts rang from the hallway. As he stormed to the door and swung it open, beginning his normal everyday shouting rampage he was struck dumb and silent. In the hallway stood Mario breathing hard a dead goomba in his hand, it's legs in the other. He saw the trail of dead koopa troopas behind Mario.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He shouted at the hero.

"Get out of my castle!" Mario yelled before running at Bowser. King Koopa stood his ground until the plumber's fist struck him in the jaw, knocking him back onto his shell. He stood up quickly and was pummeled by more punches and kicks. He was pushed back to the window.

"Mario... What's gotten into you?" He asked.

"Just shut up and die your rotten piece of shit!" Mario jumped forward, planted both feet on Bowser's chest and pushed him through the window. As he rolled down the mountain side, crashing through boulders and sharp rocks he began to black out. The last thing he remembered was hitting something very solid and stopping before all sounds and sights disappeared.

He awoke to a number of Toads and Magikoopas running around what looked like an infirmary. He tried to look around, but he was sore and couldn't move. Soon a familiar face looked down on him.

"King Bowser, you're awake?"

"Ka-mmy," He groaned out. The Magikoopa smiled and spoke.

"Just hold on. I'm waiting on some help from someone." Kammy turned and looked around. "Where is that blasted girl?" Just then a toad ran up towards Kammy. She seemed as if she had a mission.

"Kammy, I'm here," The Toad girl said.

"Good, let's start the spell." She turned to Bowser. "Now just hold still, sire, and we'll have you fixed up in no time.

After a few moments of what sounded like gibberish to Bowser and a spectacular light show The two women looked at Bowser.

"King Bowser. Can you stand?" Kammy asked. Bowser moved stiffly so his legs hung off over the bed. He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, releasing tension from them.

"How long was I out?" He asked. Something was wrong with his voice, but he couldn't point out what.

"A few days."

"What the hell is going on? Why did Mario try to kill me?"

"We're not completely sure," The little Toad stated. "But it's apparent that he's gone on a rampage. He tore through Toad Town and killed or injured nearly all of the Toads. He then went to your castle and did much of the same to your minions."

"Dammit!" Bowser yelled, slamming his fist on the bed. That's when he realized something was wrong. He held up his hands to his face and looked over the flesh that now covered them, rather then his reptilian scales. "What the hell is this?"

"We had to transfer your soul into a created body. The body was a mannequin until we put your soul into it. Some of your physical traits have been shifted over, but you're now a human, King Bowser." He sighed deeply and let it sink in before moving on.

"Why did Mario do all of this?"

"We don't-" Kammy started, but was interupted.

"Come with us Bowser, we'll explain." The voice belonged to none other than Princess Peach. She was decked out in a pair of black denim pants and a pink camouflage shirt. Standing next to her, wearing much the same, except his shirt was green, was Luigi. Bowser stood and walked towards the two. As he came closer they turned and walked from the infirmary.

"Princess, why...?"

"Is Mario doing this, right?"

"Yes."

"He's angry at me. If it wasn't for Luigi, I'd be dead with half the Toads in my kingdom."

"Why is he so angry with you?"

"Because I finally told him that I don't love him."

"You- You don't love Mario?" Bowser asked, flabbergasted.

"No. I never have. He was my lover and my friend and I couldn't push this along anymore. I had to tell him the truth. When I did, he attacked me. But Luigi fought against him and soon he pushed his brother back. Mario then fled the castle, killing any Toad that got in his way.

"It was the next day when the boos that fled your castle when he attacked brought you back here. You were dying, so I pleaded for Kammy and M. Azing to bring you back. They couldn't bring back your original body, but they put you in that one. I will work on a spell to change that body into your old one, but in exchange, I ask that you help us fight against Mario's insanity. We need to bring him down."

"At any cost," Luigi added.

"Alright," Bowser agreed. "What are we going to do?"

"Rally what forces we can and invade his castle and kill Mario."

"Sounds like a plan."

Over the next few days Bowser became more used to his new human body and began to find the differences from his old body. He no longer had the ability to breath flames, but he found a substitute in a Fire Flower, which allowed him to control the flames with his hands, the way he had seen Mario do plenty of times. Of course he was shoddy at it at first, but Luigi gave in and gave him lessons on how to do it.

"Thank you Luigi," Bowser said to the green dressed plumber.

"Don't thank me. I'm not happy to teach you skills that might kill my brother. But it's my duty to protect Princess Peach no matter the cost." Luigi stalked away to the princess' private chambers, where he and Peach spent hours on end. It made Bowser jealous, but he attempted to calm his reptilian rage.

The next day he practiced fighting against some of the most powerful of the Toad army, all very proficient in hand-to-hand combat. Bowser found himself outmatched without his large size to help. This time it was Peach that decided that he could use her help.

As he watched her parry and block the Toads' attacks and flip them over into one another or punch or kick them across the entirety of the room, he felt a pang of fear and admiration for her.

"Have you always been able to fight like this?" He asked as she brushed herself off and took a drink of water from her water skin.

"Not always, but with your troops around all the time I took it up years ago as a way to keep myself safe."

"Why didn't you ever use it against me or my troops?" He asked.

"You and your troops never did anything to hurt me. It's self defense, not just a means to hurt you..." He felt like she was hiding something.

"Princess? Is something the matter?" He asked.

"No. Now let's train."

"Alright..." They trained for hours until he was able to hone his power into his new-found speed. He wasn't close to beating Peach, but he dispatched the Toads with little effort. As Peach commemorated him on his training mastery she told him that she would like to talk to him later on in the evening in her room.

It was near midnight when he arrived at her room and the guard let him pass, having received word that it was fine. As he walked into the room he saw Peach standing by the mirror in the corner of her room, looking at herself in one of her old dresses.

"They're still stunning, you know," He said, announcing his presence. She turned to him and smiled.

"Thank you for coming Bowser."

"Of course, Princess. What was it you needed?"

"Come sit on the balcony with me, please." She walked through the glass doors and sat down on a soft bench. Bowser sat next to her, keeping his distance. He had his thoughts on what she might have wanted, but they were what he wanted, not reality. He didn't want to overstay his welcome and didn't want to make it seem like he was expecting it.

"It's a beautiful night, don't you think?" She said after a second.

"Yes." He turned to look at the stars, bright and shining. "Very." He felt her gaze upon him and turned back to her.

"Bowser, can I ask you something personal?"

"Of course."

"Do you love me?"

"Uhh.. uh..." He couldn't think of an answer. He closed his mouth, turned and looked down through the handrail's grate into the wrecked town below and thought. It was a few moments before he came up with a true to life answer.

"Forgive me for my answer, Princess." She smiled at him.

"Don't worry about it. Just tell me what your thoughts are." King Koopa took a deep breath, turned to her and spoke.

"No, princess. I don't love you." The smile faded from her face.

"What?" She wasn't expecting that. "Why did you try to make me marry you all those times?"

"Because, I was so lonely. I was afraid I would never find someone to care about that I made up faux feelings for you and used them as a drive to kidnap you. All I ever wanted was companionship. But, in answer to your question, I don't love you. Because I've never gotten to know you." He turned away from her and began to stand. "I'll take my leave now."

"No. You'll stay here Bowser." He turned in surprise back to the princess.

"Why, if I may ask, your majesty?"

"You're going to stay here all night and talk to me. I want to get to know you and I want you to get to know me!" She yelled, tears welling in her eyes.

"Peach...?"

"Because I have fallen for you, King Koopa!" She shouted.

"H-How? I've done nothing but hurt y-"

"You never hurt me! That's the thing! You kidnapped me time and time again. You tried to force yourself upon me over and over again. But every time I cried, you comforted me. Every time I needed something, you would make sure I got it. Every time I fought back against you, slapped you, hit you, you never once raised a finger at me or allowed your troops to do the same. Sometimes... I wished that Mario would never rescue me... So that I could stay with you forever. But... I knew I couldn't. I had a duty to attend to. The Toads would never accept you as their king. They would never have allowed me to become your queen. So I had to refuse. I had to fight back. And I always had to go with Mario when he came." She was crying now, sobbing onto Bowser's shirt. He found his arms wrapped around her and he lifted her up and carried her back into the room.

"Alright, Peach. Let's talk."

In those days they rallied troops consisting of Toads, Boos, Koopas, Goombas, Snifits and Bullet Bills among many other creatures. They were ready to storm through Bowser's old castle and take Mario down. Bowser looked over what Princess Peach had named his personal armada and smiled.

"Alright! I've never had Toads in my army before, but you're going to hear this speech anyway! We've fought side by side for years against Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom!

We've always set out to kidnap the princess and make her my bride! You all fought alongside me out of loyalty or fear, but tonight I hope that you can fight with me, not as a commander or a king, but as a fellow soldier, a warrior fighting for his home! We take back our home! We destroy a threat on all lands of the universe! Tonight, my friends, we kill Mario! Tonight we dine in Hell!"

He watched as the crowd cheered. The Toads and Koopas alike shouted in unison as brothers. The winged Goombas flew overhead, cheering as well and Bowser waited til they quieted down then he spoke again.

"Rest my brothers. We storm Mario Castle at sunset." He turned and walked off the podium and to his chambers. It wasn't long before he heard a tapping on the door and allowed Princess Peach into his room, with the gentle caress of her lips on his.

"Your speech was amazing my king!" She said.

"Thank you." He still wasn't used to this feeling of comfort he got from her. They had spent the entire night learning everything they could about each other. Peach had told him all about her childhood growing up in the castle. About how her father was a malevolent ruler, busy, but never too busy for his daughter. She shared how her mother had died at an early age and she was left with him and the help. She shared the horrible disease the befell her father when she was only ten and how she became the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom at the age of twelve, upon his death.

He felt an enormous welling in his heart, but it wasn't pity, but instead empathy. He realized that he could have feelings for Peach and he didn't want to miss that chance. So he shared his childhood. How he hatched from his egg and grew. How it was a wild and natural growth and that he never had a parent, but had to fend for himself. Soon he had risen up over the other Koopas and began to realize that he could be their ruler. The rest was history.

They shared Peach's bed that night, not for sexual pleasure, but both Koopa and Peach were exhausted. The night had flown by as they shared their pasts. Bowser awoke to her wrapped in his arms and him in hers. He kissed her forehead and she awoke, naming him "My king."

Shortly after awakening he gave his speech. Now he had her wrapped in his arms again. Instead of staying in his room talking or her allowing him sexual conquest, as he could tell she was willing to at the moment by her jittery nature and her ragged, uncontrolled breathing, he dragged her from the room for some training. After they sparred a little she had calmed down and decided to go take a bath, letting her tone of voice say that he should come along, but he didn't. He sat on the ground and closed his eyes.

"She told you?" Luigi's voice asked, wakening Bowser from his trance.

"Yes."

"And you told her you loved her?"

"No."

"She seems to believe you do."

"Because now I do."

"I'm confused, Bowser."

"I didn't love her last night. We talked about everything about our lives and... My feelings kind of... blossomed."

"I may not have right to say it, but I don't enjoy you being this close to the princess."

"I understand."

"But you're going to be anyway?"

"Yes."

"You do love her." This wasn't a question. He stated this as a fact. "You have my blessing then, King Koopa."

"Thank you, Luigi."

"Don't mention it." Luigi walked away from Bowser. He stood and walked to his chambers again. This time he slept. He slept until he was awoken by a Toad and was told to prepare for the attack on Mario found his regiment and spoke.

"I have no idea what Mario has put beyond those castle walls. I don't know where the plumber is inside there! But we will destroy anything that gets in our way! We will bring down that plumber!" They cheered and he waited for silence. "Many of us may not make it out alive. But neither will Mario! Any deaths, will not be in vein!" They cheered again and Bowser watched for Peach's signal to attack. When the sign was given he yelled for his men to charge. Alongside Luigi's men, the boos and hundreds of Goombas, and Peach's armada, Snifits and Shy Guys, he and his men, Koopas, Goombas and many Toads, charged the castle.

They tore down the large wood and metal door and ran into the foyer that Bowser knew too well. He had asked to take the lead and was given it, since he knew the castle better than anyone else. He held up a hand and everyone went silent. It was quiet in the castle and it made Bowser uncomfortable. It was then he heard it. He heard the stomping feet of the one creature that his friends and him didn't have in their army. He turned and yelled.

"Dry Bones!" As the skeletal mass emerged from the dark corridors on every side of the hallway. The living army charged against the undead Koopas and did everything in their power to fight against them. Many of his men began to die, falling lifeless onto the floor of the castle foyer, too early on, Bowser thought.

He watched as Luigi and Peach used fire and ice to push through the undead to him. He used his own fire to break the undead ranks down, but found that no matter how many men they had brought, that none could defeat these creatures. Until he got an idea.

"Koopas! Use your shells!" He had seen Mario do this dozens of times. Using living Koopa shells to break the Dry Bones' actual bones completely apart, rather than just knock them down. As the Koopas stripped their shells off and threw them through the ranks of the Dry Bones, it seemed to be working as the dead shells didn't rise again. Luigi patted his shoulder.

"Good call, Koopa." It was then that the ground began shaking and the bones began to form into something even worse than before.

"Son of a bitch!" Peach yelled as the previously unknown entity smashed through the unshelled frontline, crushing the Goombas, breaking the Koopas and eradicating even Boos out of its way.

"What the fuck is that thing?" Luigi yelled.

"It-It's the legendary Dry Behemoth! Run!" He yelled this, not only to Peach and Luigi, but the army that the Behemoth was destroying. As the army turned tail and ran Bowser, Peach and Luigi ran for the steps at the end of the hallway that lead to the throne room, but as he reached the steps he turned and faced the beast.

"Come on!" Peach yelled after him, holding out her hand for him.

"No! Stop Mario! I'm going to handle this..." He slammed the large doors closed and locked them from his side, blocking their path back out. The Behemoth growled fiercely and pounded on the ground.

"That's right. It's you and me... Mother."

The Behemoth charged at Bowser, bringing it's large claw down towards her son. Bowser tumbled out of the way and met it with four fireballs to its face. It shrieked in agony and pounded the wall next to it.

"Quit throwing a fit and fight me!" He yelled.

"DIE!" She growled before charging again. He dodged once more, but the Behemoth saw through his plan and used her other claw to hit Bowser across the room and into the wall. As pieces of brick crumbled around him he wiped the blood from his mouth and stood back up. He smiled as he turned to see the wall that she had thrown him into was just the one that he was heading for in the first place. And there it stood, a Starman. He reached out and touched it and his skin began to flash.

"Now I have about twenty seconds to kick your ass AGAIN!" Bowser charged at his mother's remains. The Behemoth brought a large claw down on him once more, but this time when it connected the hand shattered into dust, unrecoverable. Bowser didn't slow and started laying blows down on various parts of the dried dragon's body, breaking bits and pieces off as he went. When all that was left was the head the Starman's power faded and he stood staring into his mother's empty eyes.

"Mother..."

"Die..." it groaned.

"You have no way of kill-"

"No... Die..." It was sorrow he heard in her voice.

"You want to die?"

"Yes..."

"Mother... I'm so sorry... I never thought of how much pain turning you into my minions would be. I never wanted this..." In his hand he started charging a large fireball. "I hope you can forgive me..."

"Love... Forgive..." She closed her eyes and he blasted the fireball across her skull, destroying it. He felt the tears for the mother he had never even known. The one he killed the first chance he got. She had said that she loved him... and forgiven him... But his mind snapped back to reality and he charged down the doors that he had locked. He ran up the stairs and though the empty hallways.

The Dry Bones must have been the only thing that was left behind when he took over. Bowser thought. He charged into the throne room and saw that Peach and Luigi had began fighting Mario. Mario's mustache was gone, much like his brother's and he was dressed differently as well. He now wore a large black cape, made from the curtains that Bowser had once had up in his castle. Mario also had taken away his hat and now wore sunglasses, Also Bowser's. Mario's overalls were ripped at the waist and belted up with what looked like a piece of one ofPrincess Peach's dresses. His body had various dried blood stains from his attack nearly two weeks ago and his evil smile was adding to the effect of maleficence that he now held.

"Koopa! Nice of you to join us! How was your family reunion?" He joked unpleasantly.

"Ended in a blaze of glory," Bowser said back, his own evil smile returning to his face. Mario laughed and stared over his glasses at Bowser.

"I'm liking the new look. It suits you."

"Right back at you, plumber."

"So... How about for old times we fight mano-e-mano? No axe, no..." He looked behind Bowser. "... Tail?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

"Winner gets the princess." Mario wagered.

"Winner gets the princess." Bowser agreed. "Please you two, move out of the way." Peach and Luigi reluctantly allowed it and moved to the side of the room.

"Are you ready for the beating of a lifetime, Bowser?"

"Only if you are."

"Then prepare to die!" He tore off the cape and threw it, Bowser's eyes instinctively following it. It was then that the realize what Mario had done as the plumber's fists began to pummel his face. He blocked after a few hits landed on him and then he attacked back, hitting Mario square in the jaw, sending him reeling back. "You've learned." He laughed, but Bowser was way past the stage of witty banter and began attacking in his normal animalistic way. After a few moments of this, and now blows landing he realize what he was doing. He was fighting in the way that Mario knew him fighting.

He straightened up and took the stance that Peach had taught him. Mario took this opportunity to attack, but Bowser blocked his attacks and counter-attacked. Many blows rained down on Mario and soon he was on his back crawling away from King Koopa. As he did so he fired fireball after fireball at Bowser, which were easily knocked away.

"Y-Y-You can't kill me!" Mario yelled as Bowser launched a fireball into his hand, burning it to a crisp. "AHHHH!" Bowser lifted him up by the collar of his shirt.

"And why not?"

"I-I'm the hero!" Mario gasped through the pain. Bowser threw him onto the ground.

"And now I'm the hero..." Bowser's evil smile took over as he stepped on Mario's head. "Who would have guessed that this is how this would end, eh Mario?" Bowser's voice boomed through the throne room of the castle as he pushed his foot harder down on the plumber's head. "Me having to storm YOUR castle to save Mushroom Kingdom from YOUR madness. HA! Looks like the tables have swung in my favor. I'll enjoy this, you lunatic."

Bowser shook away the next few moments from his mind as he looked down at Mario's grave. "I'm sorry Mario... This is all my fault." He turned and began to walk away before stopping and turning to face the grave again. "But thank you for giving me a way to live my dream. To become something besides a monster..." He turned and walked back to the Mushroom Kingdom, where he was greeted with the highest honors and the embrace of Princess Peach.

"Peach?"

"Yes, My king?"

"Will you marry me?"

"I will!" They kissed and the crowd cheered and even Luigi clapped.

"Citizens of Toad Town!" He shouted after he was released from her lips. The creatures around him quieted and he spoke. "I beseech you to allow me and my fellow Koopas to reside alongside you." The crowd cheered in approval. "To allow us to rebuild your home alongside you!" More cheers. "Would you allow the others that have served me in the years to live among you too?" Cheers of approval rang out and he watched as Goombas, Koopas, Boos and such in the crowd began to smile and even cry. "Would you allow me to be your King?" Applause followed. "To lead alongside your Queen, Peach?" Cheers. "Then I thank you all and let us work for a better life here in the Mushroom Kingdom!"

It was years before the town of Toads was fully rebuilt and expanded to allow the new residents abodes. Many of the creatures, including Toads moved out and made new towns, since they had no fear of Bowser's troops anymore.

King Bowser Koopa and Queen Peach Toadstool ruled the land in malevolence and even had twins. Bowser wanted something to live on in the memory of the horrific scene his old friend had caused and named the eldest Mario. To this Queen Peach named the youngest after her most trusted guard, Luigi.

Luigi stood by the queen and king for many years and went off to command the Toadstool Armada when a threat arose in the borders of the Mushroom Kingdom or any of its surrounding allied territories.

Bowser destroyed his castle and rebuilt it as a memorial to Mario's great escapades and rescues of Princess Peach. Him, Peach, Luigi and many of the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom signed a document saying that they have forgiven Mario of his crimes, and it now rests in the center of Mario Castle for visitors to see.

Mario and Luigi Jr. grew up to be great heroes and fought in the many wars that later raged between Sarasaland and the Mushroom Kingdom in the latter years. The war was resolved after many casualties by the Beanbean Kingdom as Prince Peasley quelled the two angered queens over which of their husbands was stronger. He ordered that for the peace that King Bowser and King Wart must fight. Bowser won and instead of gloating, helped Wart back up and the two kingdoms lived in peace.


End file.
